Unit 40 Board Agrees to Seek Price Quotes on Buses; Amends Calendar (ADDING PERSONNEL MOVES)

Effingham Unit 40 school board members Monday voted to seek price quotes for lease to purchase nine new school buses.

Unit 40 Superintendent Andrew Johnson said the understanding is that if the Board votes to enter into a lease to purchase agreement that it could be 18 to 24 months before the District receives the buses. The lengthy delay in receiving the buses is similar to what is being experienced by every district. Johnson added that the District is supposed to be receiving eight to nine buses ordered earlier sometime this summer.

The Board voted to amend this school year's calendar by one day to reflect a snow day that was taken on January 23. Under the new calendar, the final day of student attendance will be May 17, a half-day, with the afternoon used as a school improvement day. May 20th will then be a teacher institute and a workshop to wrap up the year.

Related to the calendar, the Board voted to seek a professional development waiver. The waiver would allow the district to take five full days off for development, rather than nine half-days. Johnson said it would be fewer days off for students, which is typically better for parents, and would provide more time on the development days. A decision by the State on the request should come in the next 30-60 days.

The Board recognized a number of student groups. Four second grade students at South Side School spoke about highlights of their year and what's to come; the Effingham High School Competitive Cheer squad was recognized for its second consecutive state championship; and a group of music students who qualified for All-State in Peoria in January were recognized for their success. We wlll have the names and photos of all of those students in later newscasts.

Johnson reminded of the next countywide school board meeting, featuring representatives of the five public school districts in Effingham County. The meeting will take place on Monday, March 4th at 6pm at the Effingham Unit 40 offices on South Banker. 

In personnel moves, the Unit 40 Board hired Diane Tieffel and Liz Budde as cooks for the summer bridge and Peggy Manley as a sub cook for the summer bridge; Jeffrey Habing as a second shift custodian at South Side and Jackie Habing as a second shift custodian at the high school; and Lauren Meyer as an early childhood instructor at Little Hearts Early Childhood Center. 

Resignations were accepted from Terry Chapman as a cafeteria monitor at Central, Jennifer Jones as a 1st grade teacher at the end of this school year, Jeff Tonn as boys JV basketball coach, and Mindy Pals as pom coach.

A retirement was accepted from David Worman as a custodian